The E-Sylum: Volume 8, Number 27, July 3, 2005, Article 20
SCHULMAN AND FAROUK NAMES FOREVER LINKED.
Dick Johnson writes: "A big "thank you" for the great Featured
Web Site in last week’s E-Sylum. Carl N. Lester’s article was
fascinating reading. Thanks too, to Heritage Auctions for keeping
it up on their web site. Please don’t ever take it down.
It also was cause for more Schulman memories to flood my mind.
Everyone, it seemed, questioned Hans about his dealings with
King Farouk. It was bittersweet remembrances for him.
Hans may not have recovered all he was owed by the Egyptian
government from the auction of Farouk’s collection after the king
was forced to abdicate. With the expenses of attorneys in both
Egypt and elsewhere it set him back for several years.
The Palace sale was a boon to the American dealers and collectors
who attended in person. They were invited to visit other parts of
the palace (and view Farouk’s other collections – one of which
was a massive pornographic collection). The night life in Cairo
was an attraction for those Americans–both dealers and collectors
–who flew to the Egyptian capitol. Can you say "belly dancers"?
Hans related to me that in the heyday of his dealing with Farouk
his office staff would come in each morning, fill the king's order
of numismatic items, send it off registered mail, and take the
rest of the day off. But it pinpoints the business error of having
only one customer (or one supplier)!
Even so Hans remained on friendly terms with Farouk. Once
he sent me two Christmas cards he had received from Farouk.
One pictured the Egyptian palace, the following year it was a
commercial card. Several years later I mentioned to him I
still had them and he requested he wanted them back. I complied.
Farouk was an indulgent person. He indulged in anything that
took his fancy. He was noted for liking poker, potato chips,
and corpulent mistresses (perhaps to support his own massive
weight). One story they tell about him - He was playing poker
with friends, he held two kings, his opponent three queens.
When the cards were shown, Farouk said "I win." "But you
only have two kings," said his opponent.
"I am the other king," said Farouk as he grabbed the pot."